Arkansas National Guard during World War I
The Arkansas National Guard units were incorporated into the 39th Infantry Division and after training at Camp Beauregard, were shipped to France in August and September 1918.
Senator Charles W. F. Dick, a Major General in the Ohio National Guard and the chair of the Committee on the Militia,[1] sponsored the 1903 Act towards the end of the 57th U.S. Congress.
In return for the increased Federal funding which the act made available, militia units were subject to inspection by Regular Army officers, and had to meet certain standards.
Also beginning with the "Dick" Act, National Guard units had to meet certain criteria in order to receive "federal recognition".
[6] Under Section 30 of the 1903 "Dick" act, the War Department detailed one officer and for duty with the Arkansas National Guard on 10 October 1909.
[8] The Officer's Association of the Arkansas National Guard held a meeting on November 10, 1909, to discuss the possibility of obtaining suitable land for a permanent military camp to provide a location for training.
With the new Federal funding in place State National Guard units were encouraged to participate in bi-annual encampments with the Regular Army.
[9] The Mexican Expedition was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Francisco "Pancho" Villa from 1916 to 1917.
The expedition was in retaliation for Villa's illegal incursion into the United States and attack on the village of Columbus, Luna County, New Mexico, during the Mexican Revolution.
[16] While Congress was debating the declaration of war the 1st Regiment was mobilized for "police duty" March 31, 1917, and began reporting to Fort Roots in North Little Rock.
[17] The War Department initially called the 1st Regiment of the Arkansas National Guard into Federal service for the purpose of police protection.
[21] Individuals also were exemplifying patriotism; one man upon learning the need of men for the guards left his work in the fields and walked thirty miles to enlist.
[22] By April 4, 1917, the 1st Arkansas Regiment was ready to move to Little Rock, and company commanders were ordered to report by wire the hour and date they expected to leave their home stations.
[27] The first military operation the Arkansas National Guard was assigned was a "find and destroy" mission of a "spy" wireless station located somewhere in the Blue Mountains.
[31] Recruitment for men in Little Rock was carried out by seventeen girls wearing badges bearing the words, "If You Are A Real Man Enlist."
Intensified cross county hiking, drilling, and maneuvering were evident when the men took sack lunches and marched into Little Rock for the Memorial Day parade with all other troops stationed at Ft.
[48] By July 24, 1917, Company "B" from Beebe was the only unit of the 1st Arkansas National Guard having a full war quota of Men after physical examination for Federal service.
[56] The Commander of the supply company of the 3rd Arkansas received instructions from the Augusta Arsenal to go into the open market and buy mess kits to complete the needed equipment for the new regiments.
[76] By April 1918, the roads built in the swamps and hills of "Dogville-in-the-Pines" (the nickname given to Camp Beauregard) were completed, and the men were taking physicals for overseas.
The movement consisted of only 20 percent of each organization, and the officers did not accompany their troops but remained at Camp Beauregard with the other 80 per cent still in training.
[84] In a letter home a guardsman from the old Company "I" of the 1st Arkansas National Guard, described the fighting and sent a coat lapel which belonged to the best soldier for the Crown Prince.
[90] The headquarters ordnance and medical detachments and some companies of the 114th Engineers, 39th Division were transported to Newport News, Virginia, on the battleship Nebraska.
[93] With the war ended, the 153rd Infantry landed in Hoboken, New Jersey, February 27, 1919, making the crossing aboard the USS President Grant.
[94] On April 12, 1919, the transport SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria brought the Sixty-fourth Field Artillery Brigade and the 141st Machine Gun Battalion of the 39th Division to New York.
[90] The headquarters ordnance and medical detachments and some companies of the 114th Engineers, 39th Division were transported to Newport News, Virginia, on the battleship Nebraska.
[92] The 142nd stayed in France to conduct tests and exercises to develop techniques for motorized artillery battalions and won a commendation for efficient performance.
[98] On July 8, 1918, at the request of the sheriffs of Cleburne, Faulkner, and White counties, an officer and thirty men of Machine Gun Company, Fourth Arkansas Infantry, proceeded to the vicinity of Pearson, Arkansas, for the purpose of assisting the sheriffs of these counties in the apprehension of draft resisters, slackers, and deserters.
[8] On February 27, 1910, the Sheriff of Garland county asked for troops to prevent an attempt to lynch an African American who was accused of rape and to protect the defendant during trial.
CPT William A. Smith Company A, First Infantry from Prescott to take 10 of his men to Hot Springs and protect the defendant.
Harry Smith was commended by the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce for breaking up the a mob that had rioted after a Ku Klux Klan group staged a lynching in the city.
